Grandpa's Guns

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GAMALOT

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NY Catskill mountains
I have had these small revolvers for a while now since my grandfather passed away.
I spent the day cleaning them up and checking their functionality, all seem to be working fine.
Two are Harrington & Richardson Break top revolvers in .38 S&W.
One has an exposed but bobbed hammer while the other has an internal hammer.
The other is of unknown maker but marked on the top of the barrel as AMERICAN BULL DOG. It is .32 S&W short.
I doubt there is anything special here but since they are working fine I thought it might be nice to take them out and fire them to see how they work.
Is the ammo for these old revolvers still available or do I have to search for old ammo at the gun shows?
I am not talking about a big purchse of ammo here, a box of each would be way more then I need! The way I see it is if a gun is in working order and here then I might as well have some ammo for it.
Any advice will be appreciated.
Thanks
Gary
 
I have seen both calibers you mention at many gun stores. It is available although maybe not everywhere. I'd probably recommend a check by a competant gunsmith first, but barring any abuse both should be safe to shoot.

I have a S&W Safety Hammerless built in 1907 which I shoot from time to time.
 
Yea FP, I checked them all out and timing is fine and good solid lock up is evident.
The unknown maker one has American Bull Dog on the barrel but no other maker marks I can find. On the black hard rubber or plastic grip is a picture of an eagle holding four arrows. Any ideas as to the actual maker? The hammer has to be in a partial cock position for the DA to work because the fireing pin is thru the plate otherwise.
Both of the H&Rs are a bit earlier then your S&W if I can go by the dates stamped on the top of the barrel. 1886-1889.
Thanks for the info.
Gary
 
The dates stamped on top of the barrels are most likely patent dates and not manufactoring dates.
 
The dates are Patent dates as you state! No clue as to when they were actually made but grandpa was born in 1869 and said he was around 25 when he bought the two H&Rs. He found the other in a house he bought and restored up in the country and this was around 1915.
My uncle ended up with the other larger and more desireable guns and sold them all for a fraction of their value so I am happy to have these. The one I really wanted was a Colt woodsman still new in the box with a $72 price tag still attached and never fired. Uncle got $100 for it five years ago so I guess you know what I thought of him, rest his soul! How about the Winchester Model 88 in .358 with a nice B&L scope he sold for $300 to his buddy who resold it for over $1000.
SORE SUBJECT, this family stuff but I guess we all have it.
Gary
 
Gamalot, you might check with someone who knows when H&R started using steel proofed for smokeless powder. I bought an IJ at a gun show which appeared to be in almost new condition. In another gun forum I posted the serial number and a member let me know that the gun was made with black powder proofing. I remember reading what Elmer Keith wrote about using smokeless powder in these old H&R's. One blew the top strap off which struck him in the head. I retired mine to the dresser drawer. Unloaded.
 
Thanks for the heads up on powder changes Jondar.
I suppose it is not all that important that I fire them and I am glad I just didn't go out and buy potentially hazzardous ammo.
Can anyone point me to where I might find the ammo requirements for these old timmers or where to learn by the serial numbers what they can handle?
Thank
Gary
 
Gary,

If you use cartridges loaded with blackpowder all should be well. In my case I had fired three or four .38 S&W smokeless in my IJ with apparently no ill effects before I knew how old the revolver was. Some of you hadnloaders can correct me but I believe that black powder burns at around 13,000 c.u.p.s. These modern .38 S&W and .32 S&W are supposed to be loaded to 15,000 or below. "Supposed to be" is the key phrase here. I just didn't feel like risking it, and finding that reloading dies would cost $25 or more (you can't use .38 Special dies) it seemed to be a losing proposition. If someone knows where to buy loads with black powder, this would be the way to go. Good luck.

Jon
 
"American Bulldog" was a trade name used by H&R on a line of solid-frame/double action revolvers - also known as the "1904 double action." Others may have used the same name on spur-trigger revolvers during the 19th century.

None of the ammunition manufacturers I know of make bulleted .32 cartridges with black powder, although some used to make blanks, and may still do so. They can be made by someone with a reloading set-up, but the cost of the loading dies probably would make this cost-prohibitive. In any case I doubt that this revolver would be a particularly accurate shooter anyway.
 
WOW Popeye, that is my gun except mine is nickle or chrome plated, in better condition and has the grip with an Eagle holding four arrows.
Mine is a 32 S&W Short.
Thank you very much for finding a listing.
Would you dare to shoot a modern day 32 S&W short round thru it?
Gary
 
I need a bit of a history lesson here.
The gun is exactly what Popeye found and probably made around the same time 1880.
What were 32 S&W SHORTS loaded with back then and is there a big difference in the 32 S&W SHORT of today?
Thank you all.
Gary
 
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